Ronaldo Scores Twice as Portugal Defeats Uzbekistan in 2026 World Cup Group Stage

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 in Houston on June 23-24, 2026, in the second round of group stage matches at the FIFA World Cup. The victory marked a strong recovery for Portugal following a disappointing opening match. Ronaldo's performance was highlighted by a free kick goal that came after a tactical feint, with the midfielder's dummy allowing the set piece to catch the Uzbek defence off guard. The match saw controversy when Uzbekistan had a goal disallowed after VAR review determined that Abbosbek Fayzullaev had fouled João Cancelo, denying what would have been an equalizer at 29 minutes. Despite the setback, Uzbekistan mounted a late challenge but could not break through Portugal's defence.

On the same day in the 2026 World Cup group stage, England faced Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as part of the second round of matches across the two groups. The final group stage round also featured Panama versus Croatia in Toronto and Colombia against DR Congo in Guadalajara, with matches played simultaneously across multiple time zones. These contests completed the second round of the group stage competition.